Suicide awareness training offered to businesses

The initiative aims to improve knowledge through training and education

The Institute of Directors (IoD) Jersey has announced a scheme to raise awareness about suicide prevention.

The training has been designed and will be delivered by local mental health charity, Jersey Recovery College (JRC), as part of its mental health at work programme.

The first nine sessions of the programme have been sponsored by Rob Mason whose daughter, Kezia, took her own life in 2022.

Mr Mason and his wife hope the training will reduce the stigma of talking about suicide and create a culture of empathy.

He said: "We hope the training will not only equip people with the skills to recognise and support individuals in distress but also fosters a culture of empathy and openness.

"By actively reducing the stigma associated with discussing suicide, organisations create a ripple effect that extends into the wider community."

The IoD said it believed it was well-positioned to advocate for suicide prevention awareness and support initiatives being brought into the workplace.

Beth Moore, CEO of Jersey Recovery College, said: "We already do a lot of work with local businesses around improving mental health, we also address the important issue of suicide awareness and prevention through our community programme.

"This partnership with the IoD is an important step forward in reaching more people with these important skills and tools.”

Moving forward, the IoD said it intended to self-fund the initiative and look at sponsorship to expand it.

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